The best laptops of 2025, tried and tested

Whether you work from home, go into an office or just want something to keep yourself entertained, having one of the best laptops is practically a necessity. But with so many brands and models to choose from, finding the right Windows laptop or best MacBook for you can be overwhelming.

That’s where we come in. We extensively test the latest laptops on the market from the likes of Apple, Dell, Microsoft and Samsung in order to help you figure out what’s actually worth spending your money on. Whether you’re in search of the perfect MacBook, a tricked-out gaming notebook or just something basic for your daily emails, here are our picks for the best laptops you can buy now.

The best laptop: Apple MacBook Air M4

The 2025 MacBook Air is, just like last year’s model, the best laptop for most people. The new M4-based Air is $100 cheaper than the M3 model Apple released last year, and it’s also a tad faster. That’s all icing on top of a laptop that’s comfortable to use, slim enough to take anywhere and faster than you probably expect. For people who haven’t used a MacBook Air since they ran on Intel chips, you have good reason to upgrade to these new models that feature Apple’s own custom silicon processors.

Aside from its annual processor upgrade, the MacBook Air M4 is practically identical to its predecessor — and that’s a good thing. Everything we loved about the fully overhauled 2024 MacBook Air is intact here, including a more seamless screen, full-size function keys for easily making adjustments on the fly, a crisp 12-megapixel webcam and a handy MagSafe charger that won’t send your laptop flying if someone trips on the cable. And just like in previous years, this year’s model is sold in 13- and 15-inch variations (both of which easily fit inside the best laptop backpacks). We prefer the latter, but the smaller model is great for frequent fliers trying to watch movies and get work done on the seat-back trays in front of them. The one notable physical change is the addition of a Sky Blue model, which is a bit more muted than its name suggests (Ice Blue would have fit better). It sits alongside the silver, Starlight and darker Midnight hues.

In the more-than-four months since the M4 MacBook Air’s release, we’ve only become more enamored with this year’s 15-inch model, which has the perfect amount of screen space for multitasking. When a friend asked Henry about which laptops he recommended for video editing for their YouTube channel, it didn’t take long for him to suggest the 15-inch M4 MacBook Air, which his friends bought and love. Even Henry’s a bit surprised that Apple’s entry-level MacBook is capable of video editing these days, but he does note that you should probably consider upgrading your memory to 24GB or 32GB if you’re editing a lot of video and don’t want to micromanage the applications you’ve got open

Under the hood, the system’s new M4 processor continues Apple’s tradition of excellence, with benchmark scores 17% to 24% higher than we found in comparable M3 models. The laptop handled our usual boatload of browser tabs and productivity apps without a stutter, and we saw some notable gains over the previous generation Air on benchmarks, though you’ll see a much bigger leap if you’re coming from an M1 or Intel-based MacBook. The MacBook Air M4 can even handle Mac games decently well; just be prepared to keep your graphics settings on the moderate side.

These updated internals also unlock a key new feature. You can now use the MacBook Air with two external displays at once. And unlike with the M3 MacBook Air, you don’t have to close the laptop lid, so you can have three screens at once.

That said, if you already own an Apple silicon-powered MacBook (and especially if you have an M3 model), you can probably skip this newest upgrade. And if you’re looking to save some money, the 13-inch MacBook Air M3 is a great value, especially when it’s on sale. But if you want the best laptop money can buy without spending a fortune, it doesn’t get better than the MacBook Air M4.

Other laptops we recommend

How our recommendations compare

How to choose the best laptop

Display

While there are a number of factors to consider when choosing the right laptop, we advise that you start by figuring out what kind of display you need. Most laptops are available in display resolutions ranging from 1080p to 4K (3840 x 2160) and in screen sizes from 13 to 17 inches. Many Windows machines also offer optional touch displays.

We think a 13- to 15-inch laptop at 1080p is the sweet spot for most people, as you’ll get very good clarity and a decent amount of real estate within a machine that’s still fairly portable and reasonably priced. However, you’ll want to think about how you specifically will be using your laptop and what your needs are. A slim 13-inch notebook is ideal for working on the road, for example, while a 17-inch machine isn’t quite as portable but will get you more screen space (and possibly more power) for working at your desk.

If you do a lot of graphics work or use your laptop as your main entertainment screen for movies and TV, you will probably get the most benefit from a screen that has a 15-inch or larger display and a higher resolution, so something with a 4K display or alternative display technology like OLED. That higher screen resolution means you can see more detail when using apps and watching movies, or get more screen real estate for apps, assuming you are willing to look at very small text), but a higher resolution can also drive the price of a laptop up considerably.

Many Windows-based machines also offer optional touch displays, but we generally feel that you can skip this to save some cash. Unless you’re looking to carry only one device and are specifically looking for a 2-in-1 laptop that doubles as a tablet, we think a dedicated tablet does a better job at touch, and touch doesn’t add that much functionality to a laptop.

The refresh rate of the display is also important to consider. If you want screen with smoother visuals, skip the MacBook Air, as all our other picks pack higher refresh rates. That said, those with modest needs that can be accomplished mostly by web browsing should stick with the Air.

Processor and memory

If you’re interested in an Apple laptop, you have a number of options when it comes to processors and memory. Ever since 2020, Apple’s MacBooks have run on the company’s own M-series processors, commonly known as Apple Silicon. Apple’s released four generations of these chips so far, starting with the M1. While the M4 is the latest edition of Apple Silicon, we wouldn’t say it’s a must-buy over the M1, as each year’s gains have been more iterative than revolutionary. For those upgrading from an Intel-based MacBook, you’ll love the gains you get with any of the modern Mac processors. The M3 and M4 most notably benefit from gains related to graphics performance, so you might not need the latest and greatest if your work is primarily web surfing, writing and image editing. In terms of memory, older MacBooks still on the market are sold with 8GB of memory, but Apple currently defaults to 16GB of RAM, which we recommend, especially if you keep a lot of browser tabs and applications open at the same time. As noted above, consider going for 32GB of memory if you’re going to be using demanding applications such as video editors.

Windows laptops come with a swath of processor options too, but we consider the latest Intel Core i5 or the AMD Ryzen 5 5000 series to offer a good amount of performance for everyday multitasking for the price. And to back up that processing power, we recommend opting for at least 8GB of RAM to keep all your apps running smoothly. If you’re someone who does heavy creative work such as video and photo editing, it’s worth considering Core i7/Ryzen 7 as well as 16GB to 32GB of RAM. And if you’re a gamer, you’ll need a laptop with discrete graphics, starting with at least an Nvidia RTX 4050.

If you’re buying a Windows PC, the first thing you’ll need to consider is if you should get one of the new Copilot+ PCs that run on Arm-based processors (such as the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite and similarly named chips) rather than the Intel one you’ll find in most Windows computers. These include the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x and Microsoft Surface Laptop, which we liked in our product testing due to their excellent battery life.

However, these new laptops may not support your printers, scanners and other accessories. For example, we couldn’t find a driver that allowed our specific printer and scanner to work on the Yoga Slim 7x. Fortunately, there’s a new app from HP that allowed us to still use those devices with that laptop. So, if your external accessories are important, look at the manufacturer’s website to see if they support Arm-based Copilot+ PCs. If they do not, we’ve tested plenty of laptops that will support your accessories, including the Dell XPS 14 and Asus Zenbook Duo. Just remember that those laptops may be sold in Arm-based versions, so don’t select a laptop with a Qualcomm processor if you’re worried about third-party device support. To get a little techy, those who want support for their older devices should be looking for x86-based computers.

Ports

Many modern laptops are light on connectivity options, usually packing a handful of USB-C ports in addition to a microSD card reader and a headphone jack. If you want a laptop that can connect to USB-A gadgets (and chances are you have a lot of those) as well as traditional HDMI cables for external displays, you’ll want to check out some of the thicker, business-class Windows notebooks out there from manufacturers like Acer and Lenovo. Alternatively, you can pick up a USB-C hub to augment your Mac or Windows laptop’s connectivity options.

Operating systems

Of course, you’ll also have to decide between Windows and MacOS, which largely comes down to personal preference. Windows can be found on the largest range of laptops, including budget notebooks and powerful 2-in-1 workstations, and offers a better selection of gaming software. Meanwhile, macOS is limited to a handful of Apple’s own laptops and is ideal for folks who already own lots of Apple products, thanks to its ability to sync with your iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Windows laptops can be found for as little as a few hundred dollars, whereas MacBooks occupy a premium middle ground that starts at $999 for the MacBook Air or $1,599 for the higher-end MacBook Pros.

Your next laptop doesn’t have to run on one of those operating systems, though, as those looking for a simpler laptop will probably be checking out Chromebooks. These laptops run ChromeOS, a stripped-down counterpart of Windows and MacOS that’s built around the Chrome browser. These laptops can also run Android apps, and select Chromebooks even run Google’s Gemini generative AI tools for help with things like writing and editing photos. (We don’t love most of this stuff, but it speaks to how capable Chromebooks have become.)

How we tested

As we do for every CNN Underscored testing guide, we rigorously test devices both quantitatively and qualitatively. For laptops, we made the decision to benchmark first to get a standard for quantitative performance. If you’ve read our standalone laptop, tablet or mobile phone reviews, these tests will be familiar.

Performance

Display and sound

Design

Other laptops we tested

Upgraders coming to the MacBook Air M3 from an older Intel model may be surprised by its new, slimmer look, but its battery life and build quality is in line with Apple’s history of excellence.

Currently on sale with discounts of more than $400 off, the 2023 MacBook Pro M3 was an excellent computer that only fell out of our top picks because Apple’s replaced it with a faster model that doesn’t limit the number of USB-C ports you get based on your CPU.

Excellent battery life and snappy performance from the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite CPU make the latest edition of this venerable Microsoft Surface Pro a great laptop alternative. However, It loses points for a few display oddities and the fact that its keyboard isn’t included by default.

One of the most unique laptops we’ve ever tested, the Framework Laptop 16 is a modular notebook engineered for a longer lifespan. Not only can you upgrade its storage, memory, CPU and GPU on your own but you can mix and match its six ports and change everything from the keyboard to the bezel. Oh, and you can also replace its internal battery. As for why it didn’t make it to the top of the charts? As much as we admire what Framework is doing, too many little quirks (such as a webcam issue we hand-fixed) popped up during the testing process.

The latest edition of our historical top pick for best Windows laptops takes everything we love about Dell’s XPS line and puts it inside a risky design the company is going all-in on. So, while you still get great battery life, speedy performance and a comfortable keyboard (and can pay more for a gorgeous OLED display), Dell’s sliced off the traditional function keys for a capacitive row of sensors that light up with the volume, screen and hardware controls you expect. Also, the traditional touchpad is gone, replaced by a giant glass surface with no visual indicators, which can be a bit confusing. For those who can get used to these changes, the Dell XPS 14 is a great laptop. It just feels like a slight regression as Dell looks for the most futuristic design it can find.

Our previous pick for best overall laptop, the 13-inch MacBook Air M2 is a better value than ever at its new price point of $999 (which is often even lower, thanks to frequent sales). Most importantly, it’s still an incredibly fast and reliable laptop that’ll serve you well for years. However, if you can afford to spend a little extra, the M3 model gets you slightly more future-proofed performance and dual-monitor support.

The Surface Laptop Go 2 is a very good pick for students or folks on a tight budget, offering dependable performance and just about the best build quality you can find for the price. Though, realistically, you might want to get the slightly more expensive model that comes with a more usable 256GB of storage and fingerprint reader. When you factor that in, we think other options, like our best budget laptop pick in the Dell Inspiron 14, are a better overall value for Windows users.

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Why trust CNN Underscored

CNN Underscored editors thoroughly test all the products we review and provide full transparency about our testing methodology. We’re made up of an experienced team of editors and writers who have tested various products for years. When necessary, we consult with experts in applicable fields to expand and improve our testing. Senior tech editor Michael Andronico and electronics writer Henry T. Casey have more than 21 years of combined experience testing and reviewing laptops, as well as using them for our hobbies in music, podcasting and writing.